1952 Jaguar C-Type Roadster

The Jaguar C-Type won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice for Coventry, earning admiration and respect from the international racing community. Its existence was inspired by Leslie Johnson's competitive outing at the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Jaguar XK 120 S, convincing Jaguar's management to approve the development of a new XK-based racing model, initially dubbed the XK 120 C and later known as the C-Type. It used an all-new lightweight tubular space frame and was powered by the 3.4-liter engine modified with a new cylinder head, high-lift camshafts, racing pistons and an un-muffled dual exhaust system. The rear suspension was given additional positioning links courtesy of Jaguar's experimental department. The aerodynamic coachwork was penned by stylist, Malcolm Sayers, with traditional marque cues combined with sensuous curves, resulting in one of the most emotionally arresting racing sports cars of all time. A total of 53 examples of the C-Type (with 'C' representing 'competition') were built, with 43 of those sold to privateers.

Chassis XKC 024
Jaguar completed the assembly of chassis XKC 024 on October 3, 1952, and it left the factory wearing a British Racing Green paint scheme. Jaguar factory test driver Norman Dewis piloted the car on a 90-mile road test through the hills of Lindley, United Kingdom, before it was shipped off to the United States. Jaguar's Experimental Department fine-tuned the XKC before dispatching it on November 24, 1952, for delivery to Jaguar dealer Charles Hornburg of Los Angeles, California.

The car's first private owner was Alex Thompson of Denver, Colorado, and its first recorded race was on April 12, 1953, where Phil Hill drove it to a 2nd overall finish in the Lone Star 200 at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas. In another race later in the day, Thompson drove it to a respectable 13th-place finish.

A few months later, the C-Type was sold to Jaguar dealer James Harrison of Colorado Springs, Nevada, who raced the car at the East vs. West Meeting at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California, on November 8, 1953. Wearing race number 122, Harrison placed 48th in the novice race but was unable to contest the main race after he and XKC 024 suffered a serious crash.

It is believed that a new chassis, center body section, and bonnet were used to repair the wrecked vehicle. Once repaired, the car was sold to Bob Downey and Pearce 'Pete' Woods. It raced at Torrey Pines on October 22, 1955, wearing race number 70, where Woods won the six-hour endurance competition. Harold Erb drove it in September 1955, wearing race number 155, at Goleta Airport in Santa Barbara, California.

After the 1955 season, the Jaguar would be owned by several owners before it came into the possession of Jim Kirk of Pacific Palisades, California, sometime in the 1970s. It was later purchased by Peter Agg of Surrey and brought to the United Kingdom in 1980. Its next owner was Robert Reed, an American living in Geneva, Switzerland, who used it in the Mille Miglia Storica in the mid-1980s.

Near the close of 1988, the C-Type was given a full restoration by John Pearson of Forge Garage in conjunction with RS Panels. When the work concluded, the car was sold to Jim Wallis, then to Dalle Carbonare of Italy, who sold the car to the current owner in the mid-1990s. Since that time, it has been used regularly in many C-Type rallies, events, concours displays, and even as a daily driver.

The engine powering this C-Type is not the original unit, but it has been stamped to match the factory-fitted block. The car's original, numbers-matching engine block remains with the vehicle but is not serviceable.

By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2022